Davenport Public Library's Reference Blog

Category: Library displays

What are Banned Books? Books that have been removed from schools or libraries.

Why are books banned? The top three reasons for banned books are as follows:

1. The material was considered to be “sexually explicit.”

2. The material contained “offensive language.”

3. The material was “unsuited for any age group.”

Why do we have Banned Books Week? Founded in 1982 and celebrated annually during the last week in September, it is an awareness campaign for the Freedom to Read.

How can you participate in Banned Books Week?

Many local libraries will be participating in Banned Books Week by either holding programs or creating displays. The Bettendorf Public Library will be hosting Banned Song Fest on Monday, September 28 at 6:30 pm. Local musicians will preform banned songs and music styles in honor of Banned Books Week. At the Rock Island Public Library local librarians and writers will read from banned books on Tuesday, September 29 at 6:00 pm. The Davenport Public Library will have displays at each location where you can learn about and check out a variety of banned books.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is currently ranked number 1 for the most challenged books of 2014 according to The American Library Association. While this book is considered YA fiction, it is based on the real life events of Native American Author Sherman Alexie. I read this book while attending graduate school as part of a multicultural literature course. The book is about Arnold, an incredibly smart Native American boy living on a reservation. He is given the opportunity to attend an all white school outside of the reservation. This book highlights not only some of the struggles of Native Americans living on reservations, but dives deep into what it took for this character to break away from his life on the reservation. When I finished reading the book I immediately researched the author. It was shocking to read that this work is semi-autobiographical, but still all the more important that this book remain on shelves. Anyone should have the opportunity to read this book. Why is the book challenged/banned? The book contains themes and elements of alcohol abuse, sex, violence, bullying, and racial issues.Go Ask Alice was published in 1971 and for many years was thought to be the anonymous diary of a troubled teenager that became addicted to drugs. It was later revealed to have been written by Beatrice Sparks, a psychologist, only partially based on one of her patient’s diaries. Since this revelation, the book is considered a work of fiction. I read this books several years ago as I was making my way through a list of top 100 books that everyone should read. While the book does tend to be over the top in certain circumstances, it does include so much of the feelings and thoughts experienced by young women. Why is this book challenged/banned? Despite being published over 40 years ago, the book has never been out of print and still remains high up in the list of challenged/banned books. The book contains drug use, sex, and offensive language.

In the past, LGTBQ voices were relegated to the fringes of society – invisible, ignored and often met with violence. In 1976, Jonathan Ned Katz endeavored to collect the stories and documents from 1566 to his present time. Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A was, at the time, a radical publication, unearthing documents that had not seen the light of day in centuries. It also gave voice to the rising gay right movement during the 1960-70s.

While the political and social culture of the U.S. has changed dramatically since 1976, it can still be difficult for LGBTQ authors, filmmakers or artists to join the mainstream, and those seeking LGBTQ works often times find themselves frustrated. The growth of the Internet has made access easier, but LGTBQ voices are still considered underrepresented in the mainstream.

The American Library Association created the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT) in an effort to make finding LGTBQ information and literature easier and to advocate for greater visibility in libraries across the U.S.. GLBTRT also established the annual Stonewall Book Award for books of exceptional merit relating to the LGBTQ community. And, of course, many blogs and websites have been created to collect and distribute LGTBQ books, films, music and art.

Below are a handful of websites where you can find reviews and news about LGBTQ media. If you’d like to see what DPL and the surrounding RiverShare libraries have, click over to this LibGuide : http://libguides.davenportlibrary.com/LGBTQ

The six-color version of the pride flag is the most commonly used version. The original version from 1978 had two additional stripes — hot pink and turquoise which were removed due to manufacturing needs. Via Wikimedia Commons.

In honor of LGBT Pride Month, we are featuring films, novels and media created by and for the LGBTQ** community on this blog. We’ll also have an ongoing display of these materials at the DPL’s Main branch.

First, a little history …

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan, New York City. The Stonewall riots – occurring over the weekend of June 27-29, 1969 – were a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. While protests for LGBTQ rights had occurred prior to the Stonewall riots, many considered the riots as a “shot heard round the world,”* the first to garner large-scale media attention for a population that had, prior to then, been forced to live in secret.

Stonewall Inn, site of the 1969 Stonewall riots, New York City, USA, Via Wikimedia Commons.

Christopher Street Liberation Day on June 28, 1970 marked the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots with an assembly on Christopher Street (where the Stonewall Inn was located); with simultaneous Gay Pride marches in Los Angeles and Chicago, marking the first Gay Pride marches in U.S. history. Since then, Gay Pride marches have occurred annually in major cities across the U.S. to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

On June 2, 2000 President Bill Clinton declared June “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month”. On June 1, 2009, President Barack Obama declared June 2009 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, citing the riots as a reason to “…commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.” Read President Obama’s 2015 declaration here.

If you’d like to learn more, the Library of Congress hosts many historical documents, photos and recordings about LGBTQ Pride month, as well as the history of the LGBTQ movement in the United States. Check it out here: http://www.loc.gov/lgbt/

Check back here next week for a look at LGBTQ literature for all ages!

___

*Faderman, Lillian (1991). Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth Century America, Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-017122-3

**A note on terminology: The acronym LGTB and LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning) are both used in the official Presidential declaration. According to the GLAAD and The New York Times style guidelines, LGBT is the preferred term, based on universal acceptance and recognition. However, I’ve chosen to use LGBTQ throughout, except when citing a direct quotation, or using the name of a specific organization or event.

February was Black History Month, but March marks the transition into Women’s History Month. If you didn’t catch our displays last month, stop by and see what’s new.

One book in particular that serves as the perfect segue from one theme to the other is Sister Daysby Janus Adams. Subtitled “365 Inspired Moments in African American Women’s History,” the book is written in diary style, with short anecdotes for every day of the year. For example, Philippa Schuyler, who was declared a prodigy at age 3, is featured on July 29th, while Era Bell Thompson, who was inducted into the Iowa Hall of Fame, is the woman of the day on April 30th. Personally, I had not heard about either of these remarkable individuals!

Another book that’s received a lot of press lately is theImmortal Life of Henrietta Lacksby Rebecca Skloot. It’s a true story of a poor woman who died of cervical cancer. Before her death in 1951, a sample of her cancerous tissue was taken, but without her knowledge or consent. Her cells, known as HeLa cells, not only survived in the lab, but thrived, providing scientists with a building block for many medical breakthroughs, starting with the cure for polio.

This is just a small sampling of a wide variety of materials celebrating women of achievement throughout the years. Come check some out!

We have a display for you! At both Main Street and Fairmount Street libraries, we have mysteries and DVDs of Sherlock Holmes spinoffs.

The Beekeeper’s Apprenticeby Laurie King is the first in a series featuring a feminist Mary Russell. A teenager at the time, she meets the great Holmes while she is wandering the Sussex countryside. Holmes mentors Mary as they investigate the kidnapping of an American senator’s daughter. The World WarI era , an Oxford setting – where Mary is a student, and the evolving relationship in which Holmes mentors his young protegee are all strong points of the novel.

The Italian Secretary by Caleb Carr is a humorous paranormal twist on the Holmes canon. The setting is a ghostly Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh,Scotland. Watson and Holmes are called in by Sherlock’s brother to investigate murders that Mycroft fears may threaten Queen Victoria. The author of The Alienist “reflects a deep knowledge and understanding of Holmesiana.” Publisher’s Weekly

Independence Day is coming and we have materials to help you celebrate!

If you haven’t already read James Patterson’s book, 4th of July, this is the perfect time to do so. For those of you already familiar with Patterson’s story lines or characters, this is part of his Women’s Murder Club series and features San Francisco police lieutenant Lindsay Boxer. (Perhaps you’ve even caught some of the TV crime shows with Boxer as the main character, as played by Angie Harmon.)

Another appropriate title is Red, White & Blue Murder by Bill Crider. This is the thirteenth novel in the Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series, in which Rhodes is presented as a likeable Texan lawman. His character is wry and warmhearted, in a humorous, down-home and folksy way.

If you’re looking for something a little more serious, try Red, White , and Muslim: My Story of Beliefby Asma Gull Hasan. Described on the back cover as “a warm, witty, wonderful story about what it means to be both Muslim and American in a post 9/11 world, ” this should be an enlightening and educational read for those of us less familiar with the Muslim faith.

Independence Day is coming and we have materials to help you celebrate!

If you haven’t already read James Patterson’s book, 4th of July, this is the perfect time to do so. For those of you already familiar with Patterson’s story lines or characters, this is part of his Women’s Murder Club series and features San Francisco police lieutenant Lindsay Boxer. (Perhaps you’ve even caught some of the TV crime shows with Boxer as the main character, as played by Angie Harmon.)

Another appropriate title is Red, White & Blue Murder by Bill Crider. This is the thirteenth novel in the Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series, in which Rhodes is presented as a likeable Texan lawman. His character is wry and warmhearted, in a humorous, down-home and folksy way.

If you’re looking for something a little more serious, try Red, White , and Muslim: My Story of Beliefby Asma Gull Hasan. Described on the back cover as “a warm, witty, wonderful story about what it means to be both Muslim and American in a post 9/11 world, ” this should be an enlightening and educational read for those of us less familiar with the Muslim faith.

Cinco de Mayo is only the beginning! The entire month of May has been designated as Latino Books Month by the Association of American Publishers. Simply put, it’s an effort to encourage people to read books by and for Latinos. What’s great is that you can choose to read many titles in either English or Spanish.

If you read Spanish, you’ll be able to check out some books that, in English, never seem to be on the shelf! For example, Luna Nueva by Stephanie Meyer.

Also, in the children’s section, we feature many bi-lingual editions as well as clever videos. Did you know that exposing children to another language at a young age can really help their fluency in later years? Why not give it a try?

I have to give credit where credit is due; this idea was posted on a list serve by Glenda Mulder from Laurens (Iowa) Public Library. Thanks for sharing Glenda!

Given the You-Tube popularity of the Britain’s Got Talent segment, I thought I’d share the idea with you as well. (If you’re one of the few who hasn’t seen this video clip of Susan Boyle yet, drop everything and do so now. It will make your day and let you look at life in a whole new way!)

As I was pulling items for this display, I realized (to my dismay) that I, too, am guilty of judging a book by it’s cover. Since our selectors do a top-notch job of weeding, I thought there might be slim pickins. Instead, what I discovered was a wonderful wealth of the old classics — books like Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and James Joyce’s Ulysses and Willa Cather’s The Song of the Lark. These books date back to the days when well-loved copies were sent to be rebound — not that we don’t do that anymore, just not as much! Most of them have plain covers, with no pictures or glossy photographs or even the title! But open them up and the magic is still inside.

April 22 is Earth Day! This holiday has been celebrated in America since 1970, but due to the timeliness of this topic, there’s a vast array of newer materials on all things having to do with “green” and the environment. Check out some of these titles:

The Green Book: the Everyday Guide to Saving the Planetby Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen. This compact little book is clearly organized, which makes it easy to quickly check the areas you most interested in — be it home, work , school or travel. Another appealing addition (interspersed between chapters) is the series of quotes from celebrities, such as Robert Redford and Martha Stewart.

Hot, Flat and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman. This book by a Pulizter Prize winning author has received rave reviews and has been a number-one bestseller. Basically, the sub-title sums it up: Why We Need a Green Revolution — and How It Can Renew America.

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The Info Cafe is the blog of the Davenport (Iowa) Public Library reference department. We love connecting people with books (and movies and information) so if you love books (or movies or information) you've found your tribe!